Seven tips for reducing school year stress

This is one of my favorite times of year―cool mornings followed by hot, sunny, summer afternoons and the excitement of a new school year. While some parents feel good about this, others get anxious thinking about the faster pace of the school year―carpools, deadlines and the possibility of more commitments.

Here are some tips to help keep you and your family healthy and to reduce stress this year:

1. Choose one thing that your family wants to commit to, such as:

• eating breakfast at the kitchen table instead of in the car
• eating dinner together
• not over committing
• having dedicated family time
• sticking to a bedtime schedule

2. Create your "team" of support. Just as CEOs need a lot of support to do their jobs, you as the "chief wellness officer" of your family do too. Create a list of the team members who help meet your family's needs, along with their contact information. Keep this list in a central place so that everyone can see how to get a hold of the back-up players. Team members may include:

• family members
• neighbors
• babysitters
• kids' club leader
• back-up babysitters

3. Don't forget about your social needs and connections. Make time for friends, date nights and activities that help you thrive, such as book clubs, exercise, and spiritual groups.

4. Get outside. Nothing is quite as calming as being a part of nature. During the week, simply take a family walk around the block or a trip to the neighborhood park. Add in a few hikes, bike rides or canoeing trips to make the most of the beautiful and calming scenery of autumn.

5. Say no. It's OK to do this, and it can actually be empowering. Try to do more by doing less. Commit to and enjoy the things you are interested in doing, but don't feel the need to do everything. You will find that you get more joy from experiencing a few things in entirety. That holds up for kids' activities as well. It doesn't make you a bad parent to have your kids in only a few extracurricular activities. Trust me, their futures don't depend on being over-scheduled.

6. Limit screen time. Take a family poll and see how much time your family (including you), is spending using technology. Most families admit that these devices can eat up time. Consider setting clear limits for when and how much screen time is allowed. You don't need to eliminate screen time entirely, but limits can have the benefits of increased movement and improved sleep.

7. Rejuvenate on the weekends. Crazy concept, huh? Turns out weekends were never really intended for all of our errands and household chores. While I know it's impossible to stop running errands, designate at least part of the weekend for rest and relaxation. I would argue that one of the greatest skills we can teach our children is how to relax. It turns out that it's easier to do all the difficult things in life (choosing healthy foods, exercising, and being productive) when we return to work and school on Monday after recharging our batteries.